Game apparatus



Oct. 19 1926.. 1,604,047

| HlNZ GAME A PPARATUS Filed May 5. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l 25 WITNESSES INVENTOR fig .Zed fl'inz.

J BY W ATTORNEYS L. HlNZ GAME APPARATUS Filed may 5, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I INVENTOR 4k: L00 ffl'nz ATTCRNEYS Patented Oct. 19, 1926.

PATENT OFFICE.

' L HINZ, or EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

GAME APPARATUS.

Application filed May 5, 1926.

This invention relates to game apparatus, an object of the invention being to provide a game apparatus which enables the operator to play the game of tenpins or bowling as it is commonly known, and the apparatus may be large so as to be used in parks or may be as small as desired so as to constitute a portable toy.

An object of the invention is to provide improved means controlled from a distance for setting pins and returning the ball to the player.

With these and other objects in view, the invention-consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, which will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved game apparatus;

Figure 2 is an inverted plan view of the pin supporting platform, showing the arrangement of devices for setting the pins;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view in section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2 Figure 4 is a View in vertical section on the line 4E4c of Figure 1.

1 represents a platform which is provided on its lower face with supporting flanges 2 extending, preferably, throughout the edges of the platform to elevate the main body of the platform for a purpose which will more fully hereinafter appear.

This platform 1 is adapted to support pins 3 and preferably employ ten of these pins to simulate the game of bowling or tenpins. These pins are movably mounted and are secured to cords, ropes, wires or other flexible connecting devices 4 which extend through openings 5 in platform land are secured to the pins 3.

The preferable manner of securing the flexible devices 4 to the pins is illustrated in Figure 3, in which it will be noted that each pin is formed with a recess 6 in its lower end and the flexible device 4% is secured in this recess by a screw 7, although I do not limit myself to the particular manner of securing the pins and the flexible devices together.

These flexible devices are movable in eyes or guides 8 secured to the bottom of plat form 1 and extend through a perforated Serial No. 106,903.

plate 9 secured across the inner end of a recess 10 in the front flange 2 of platform 1.

These flexible devices 4 are connected preferably by coil springs 11 with a crossbar 12. This crossbar 12 is secured to a rod 13 mounted in suitable guides 1a and having a handle 15 at its end. This rod 13 is of the desired length to be in convenient reach of the operator playing the game, and the springs 11 not only compensate for any irregularities in the various lengths of the flexible devices 1 but compensate for any expansion or contraction of the flexible devices due to weather conditions or continued use and insure a perfect setting of all the pins after they have been knocked down, as will be more fully hereinafter explained.

On the platform 1 a pair of suitably braced uprights 16 is secured to carry at their upper ends a removable crossbar 17. To this crossbar 17 at the center thereof a rope, cord, wire or other flexible device 18 is connected, and this flexible device 18 supports a ball 19 at its free end, which is adapted to be swung against the pins 3 in playing the game.

20 represents a frame which is preferably of wire or analogous material, and which is of U-shape and is pivotally connected at its upper portion to the respective uprights 16. This frame at one side and at its upper end is formed with an outwardly projecting crank shaft 21 having oppositely projecting crank arms 22 and 23 thereon.

The crank arm 22, which projects forwardly, has a weight 24 thereon which serves to hold normally the lower end ofthe frame 20 in its rearward position, as indicated in full lines in Figure 1. The rearwardly projecting crank arm 23 is connected by a flexible device 25 with a fixed member 26 located adjacent the players position, so that he can by exerting a pull on this flexible connection 25 cause the frame 20 to swing forwardly to the dotted line position indicated in Figure 1.

The lower end of this frame 20 is preferably curved slightly, as indicated at 27, so as to cause the flexible device 18 with which it engages to normally center relative to the frame when the frame is utilized to swing the ball 19 forwardly, as will be hereinafter pointed out.

To the rear of the platform 1 a support 28 is connected and this support 28 may constitute a wire frame on which a sand bag29 or other analogous bumper may be suspended so as to receive the shock of the ball during its operation.

In front of the sand bag 29 I provide on the platform 1 a pair of posts 30, and these uprights are preferabl-y, grooved at their front edges, as shown at 31, to accommodate the trunnions 32' of a ,board '33, This board 33 is normally vertically ,disposeid, as shown in full lines in Figur s, and is provided with an enlargement or flange 34 at its lower end to render the lower endheavier than the upper endof the board, and thislower fdeavor to knock down all of the pins.

edge of the board issoconstructed and arranged as to cont-act with the platform l fand p e n heloi e fl dgeno t boa d fr m swinging backwardly beyond its normal vertical position, as shown in .liigure d. The upperportion of this board 33 i s in the path of movement of the ball 19 for a purpose wh ch; w l no b .e n a e r Assuming the pins '3 are down on 7 form ;1, the operator grasps ,the handle and through the med inm of the rod 13 a nd crossbar 12 exerts a pull ,on all of the flexibledevicesito bringthe pins 3 to upright set position. He then moves the rod 13 toward the platform 1 until the handle 15 engages the firstguide l so I as to allow sufficient slaclr in the flexible devices 4 to allow the pins 3 to fall and to freely move when struck by the ball l9 or by engagement with. each other. The operator holding the ball 19 throws or swings the same man enthe ball swings rearwardly past the pins it strikes the upper portion of the board 33, is,

stopped by thecushion 29 and is prevented fromforward swinging movement by reason of the fact that it is held from such n'rovement by itsengagement with the rear face of-the board 33; This is desirable, as the ball on 'a return swinging movement would be apt to knock down the pins which had not been scientifically disturbed.

To return the ball to the operator, it, is necessary for him to grasp the flexible de vice 25 andexrt a pull thereon, which movement will cause the frame 20 to swing forwardly to'the dotted line position, and during suchinovement will engage the flexible device 18 and return the ball to the user, as indicated in, dotted lines. I He. then releases the flexible vdevice 25 and the frame :20 willswing back to'its normal position due to the weight 24:. It is to, be understood of course that this frame will not engage the upper endsof the pin'sin its swinging moveinent.

the ya at r to knock down all of the pins, but in any event the operation of setting thepins and returning the ball to the operator is accom plished by means located at the point where the operator stands so that he can play the game without assistance from others.

.Various slight changes and alterations might be made in the general form of the parts describedwithout departing from my invention, and hence I do not limit myself to the precise details sct forth but: consider myself at liberty to make such s'light changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim: 7 p y V 1. A game apparatus, including a perforated platform, movable pins supported on the platform, flexible devices connectedpto the pins, a crossbar, springspo'nnecting the flexible devices with the crossbar, means-for moving the crossbar to draw all of the pins to upright "or set position, a flexibledevice having one end fixedly connected to. a point above the platform, a ball connected to the flexible device and adapted to be swung "to engage a pin, and a movable frame manually operable and adapted to "return the ball to the player. I,

A a e pp ratus, i s udi e a p form, pins on the platform, manually operable means for settingithepins, standards on the-platform,'a crossbar onthe uppe r end of the, standards, a flexible device to the center of the crossbar, a ball cohnected to the flexible device, a U-shaped framermovable between the uprights and 'pivotally connected to the same, :and means for. manually moving the frameto engage the'ball [sup- ;porting flexib le device to move the ballto the position of the operator.

3. A game apparatus, including a platform, pins on the platform, manually operablemeansfor setting the pins, standards on the platform, a crossbar..,on the upper end of the standards, a flexible device fixed to the painter of the crossbar, a ball connected to the flexible device, a Ushaped frame movable between the uprights'and pivotally connected'to the same, a shaft Tfixedly connected to the frame at its p'ivot, a pair of crank arms on the shaft, a weight engaging one crank arm and normally holding the lower end of theframe to the rear ofthe pins, and

a,device connecting the other .cranlr arm and adapted to be 'engaged by the operatorto swing the frameand return the ball 'to the operators-position. v I i. p

I 4. A game "apparatus, including a plat form, pins on theplatform, a captive ball adapted to engage the pins, a cushion in the rear of the pins to stop the ball, and a tiltable board in front of the cushion engaged by the ball in its movement in one direction and functioning to prevent the free return of the ball. I

'backwardly beyond 5. A game apparatus, including a platform, pins on the platform, a captive ball adapted to engage the pins, a cushion in the rear of the pins to stop the ball, and a tiltable board in front of the cushion engaged by the ball in its movement in one direction and functioning to prevent the free return of the ball, said board being heaviest at its lower portion and having means adapted to engage the platform and prevent pivotal movement of the lower portion of the board its normal vertical position.

6. A game apparatus, including a platform, pins on the platform, a captive ball adapted to engage the pins, a cushion in the rear of the pins to stop the ball, a tiltable board in front of the cushion engaged by the ball in its movement in one direction and functioning to prevent the free return of the ball, and a pivoted frame manually operable and adapted to return the captive ball from its position back of the board to the operators position.

7. A game apparatus, including a platform, pins on the platform, a captive ball adapted to engage the pins, a cushion in the rear of the pins to stop the ball, a tiltable board in front of the cushion engaged by the ball in its movement in one direction and functioning to prevent the free return of the ball, said board being heaviest at its lower portion and having means adapted to engage the platform and prevent pivotal movement of the lower portion of the board back- Wardly beyond its normal vertical position, and a pivoted frame manually operable and adapted to return the captive ball from its position back of the board to the operators position.

LEO HINZ. 

